1. Technical Field of the Invention
This invention relates to tools and methods for removing lateral deflection in a wood plank, particularly for installation of outdoor decking and indoor floors.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Outdoor wood decks have become popular in the last decade as people desire to enjoy the great outdoors while enjoying the convenience of the close proximity of their home. This has created a consumer demand for both the installation of wood decks with new homes and the retrofitting of wood decks on existing homes.
Additionally, there has been, and probably will always be, the desire to have the durability and beauty of natural wood floors inside homes including the popular tongue-and-groove type wood flooring planks.
The procedure for installation of these wood decks and wood floors includes laying an initial structural support; i.e. a joist structure and a flat plywood base, respectively; for the wood planks to be secured thereon. One of the problems that is experienced by the installers of these wood decks and wood floors is when a wood plank is received warped or with a lateral deflection. Because of the expense of these planks, the installer is usually inclined to work with the plank to align it so as to remove the lateral deflection in the wood plank.
FIG. 1 shows a prior art device used by installers to remove this deflection. The installer uses a 2.times.4 WP or similar available wood plank. A nail N is used, as shown in FIG. 1, to fasten the 2.times.4 WP to a wood joist J to move the wood plank P into alignment. When the plank P is aligned or perpendicular with the joist J, the installer will nail down the wood plank P and then pry or remove the 2.times.4 WP with nail N from the wood joist J.
As can be seen, this primitive prior art method is not only time-consuming but also requires the nailing of the 2.times.4 into the wood joist which damages the wood joist J and could possibly split the joist J during the removal of the 2.times.4 from the joist or on loading of plank P by the 2.times.4 WP.
This prior art method is therefore undesirable in (1) consumption of time, (2) damage to the joist J to which the 2.times.4 WP is fastened, and (3) the need to periodically change a bent nail N and damaged 2.times.4 WP. Also as can be seen in FIG. 1, the direct contact of the edge of the 2.times.4 WP with the wood plank P applies a sharp gouging loading which is detrimental to the wood plank. Also, this primitive method and device is not efficiently designed to reduce a friction loading both at the rotation of the 2.times.4 relative to the joist J and the loading of the edge of the 2.times.4 which contacts the wood plank P.